Morning journal and courier., 1887-04-02
News by Telegraph FROM ALL QUARTERS. BIDS FOR NEW WARSHIPS A Big Crop Of Original De-
 signs. TRAINS BURIED IN THE SNOW. Hundreds Of Travellers Held
 Captive. A GREAT EFFORT BY PARNELL. The Public Debt Twelve
 Millions Less.
A GREAT EFFORT BY PARNElL.
BIDS FOR NEW WAR VESSELS

l 8. Competition Brings Out 4 Plentiful Supply of New And Original De- signs.
 WASHINGTON, April 1.-The designs 1 which have been received by the Secretary of the Navy in answer to advertisements published in American and European news papers since last August for an armed cruiser and a powerful battleship were open ed at the department today. Designs and
 plans submitted by the following firms
 and individuals: From England, the Thames
 Iron Shipbuilding company, London; the
 Barrow Shipbuilding company and MT Watt
 of Berkenhead. From France, A. H. Grand
 jean, marine engineer, St. Nasier. From
 New Zealand, Captain NJ. s. Clayton of
 Auckland, and from the United States, Lieu
 tenant w. I. Chambers, U. s. N., chief con-
 structor, T. D. Wilson, U. s. N., Construc-
 tor s. H. Poek, U. s. N., N. L. Toms of
 New York, and F. L. Norton of
 Washington, D. c. The naval architects of
 the United States were well represented as
 well by the quality as the number of plans.
 The bureau of construction as represented
 by it's chief, MT. Wilson, presented designs for both battle ship and cruiser. The plans from New Zealand included but a rough tracing representing some special ideas of
 the designer, who is Lloyd's surveyor at Auckland. It was expected that one or two other noted firms in France and Germany would offer plans, but press of business ap- parently prevented. Secretary Whitney feels somewhat elated over the results of his efforts in this direction and this evening said: The notable thing about this matter is that an advertisement of the department for designs has at last brought real competition-com petition from persons entitled to considera- tion Heretofore it has been form The advertisement was put out under a law pass ed in 1882. It was the first law passed by Congress in recent years authorizing new ships It provided that before any of the vessels hereby authorized shall be contracted for or commenced the Secretary of the Navy shall by proper advertisement and notice in vite all engineers and mechanics of established reputation and all reputable makers of vessels, steam engines, and especially all naval constructors, steam engineers and ordnance officers of the navy, to submit plans, etc. On this occasion determined to make it at tractive if possible. The first thing was to allow outsiders plenty of time. The prepar- ation of plans by our officers takes many months. So when they were set to work the public were invited to do the same. The advertisement has been running seven months. It was also decided to allow 6 proper compensation for any accepted de- sign. This was new. The consequence has been some most valuable de- signs from establishments of standing. No time has been lost for the bureaus are not ready yet with their designs. Ishall appoint as fair board as I can constitute to exam inc and report. Persons interested in the subject as we are detect new ideas at once in the plans. I believe the spirit is becoming established in the department of welcoming new ideas from any quarter. The truth is if we can begin our new construction by utilizing the best ideas all will soon not only make their own, but our inventive genius which is of the first order will carry us ahead of others J